COMMERCE DESIGN MONTREAL CONTEST CHOSEN FOR THE 2006 DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST PRACTICES TO IMPROVE THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT

20 August 2007

Montreal (Canada) - Mr. Benoit Labonte is pleased to announce that the Commerce Design Montreal Contest has been chosen as one of the 48 best practices as part of the 2006 Dubai International Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment by UN-HABITAT.

Montreal (Canada) - Mr. Benoit Labonte, member of the executive committee
responsible for culture, heritage, downtown and design is pleased to
announce that the Commerce Design Montreal Contest has been chosen as
one of the 48 best practices from among 703 entries from 88 countries
as part of the 2006 Dubai International Award for Best Practices to
Improve the Living Environment by UN-HABITAT.

The Dubai
International Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living
Environment recognises outstanding projects to improve the living
environment, in a remarkable and sustainable way. Best practices were
defined by the United Nations and the international community as
successful initiatives which:

- Have a demonstrable and tangible impact on improving people's quality of life. - Are the result of effective partnership between the public, private and civic sectors of society. - Are socially, culturally, economically and environmentally sustainable.

Firmly
rooted in Montreal's culture and public image, commercial design now
provides leverage for sustainable integration in the areas of economic
development, quality of life and environment, and social and urban
identity. Backed by this integrated vision of urban development,
Montreal now has the benefit of a network of structuring partners able
to mobilize multiple resources and reach and involve a broad public
base well beyond the design sector.

"The Commerce Design
Montreal operation is a meaningful model of sustainable urban
development because of its efforts to restore and reuse the old urban
fabric, maintain local services and promote a social and cultural mix
of central neighbourhoods. Recognition by the United Nations of this
Montreal initiative in the field of design supports Montreal's
designation as a UNESCO City of Design, as well as the sustained
efforts by the city to enhance quality design at businesses over the
past 10 years," said Mr. Labonte.

Commerce Design Montreal: an exportable conceptThe
Commerce Design Montreal concept extended from 1995 to 2004, to raise
awareness among business owners of the benefits of investing in quality
design for their establishments, with the help of a qualified
professional. The main objective was to create a domino effect,
convince other business owners of the merits of inspiring design to
improve business and promote the revitalization of commercial streets.

Thanks
to the program's success with the community and the media, Montreal is
now exporting the concept and transferring expertise. Since 2003, five
licenses have been granted to the cities of Trois-Rivieres,
Saint-Etienne, the Chamber of Commerce and industry of Marseille and
Lyon in France, and Times Square in New York.

In 2005,
following a call for proposals involving major design organisations in
Montreal, the mission to continue to revitalise business design, which
was first introduced by the city with the Commerce Design Montreal
Contest, was transferred to Creativite Montreal.

Commerce Design Montreal is now part of the 2,700 best practices in 140 countries. Please visit www.bestpractices.org